Modeling Composition and Dynamics of Cometary Comae Using Recent Observations

这个项目将分析两颗最近的彗星9P/Tempel 1（深度撞击任务的目标）和C/2004 Q2 （Machholz彗星）的观测结果，以深入了解它们原子核的内在特性以及发生在它们的彗星上的重要物理和化学过程。这项工作使用了过去几十年开发的计算工具，这些工具考虑了所有相关的物理和化学过程，并提供了足够的细节，以免过度简化复杂分子光谱的解释。这包括一个具有化学的全球气体动力学模拟，以及一个具有碰撞和非平衡态叠加的随时间荧光模型。这是一个创新和独特的机会，可以提高我们对彗星母体分子（包括水和简单碳氢化合物）的认识，以及任何成分随深度的变化，从而获得太阳系起源的线索，甚至可能是地球上生命的起源。更具体的目标包括更新光解和气相反应的化学数据库，并将增强的计算模型应用于Tempel 1号彗星和Machholz彗星的化学和组成。这项研究将产生应用于许多科学领域的基本化学数据，正如在以前的工作中所证明的那样。这个模型的计算结果可以被观测者用来在彗星和其他天体中寻找新的物种。Boice博士与德克萨斯大学圣安东尼奥分校（UTSA）和圣安东尼奥社区学院有着密切的联系。这项研究将为他的教学提供信息和加强，并为研究生提供培训，符合UTSA成为西班牙裔研究生教育和研究机会卓越中心的目标。

AST-0908529BoiceThis project will analyze observations of two recent comets, 9P/Tempel 1 (the target of the Deep Impact Mission) and C/2004 Q2 (Comet Machholz), to gain insights into the intrinsic properties of their nuclei and the important physical and chemical processes that occur in their comae. The work uses computational tools developed over the past decades that take into account all relevant physical and chemical processes with sufficient detail not to oversimplify the interpretation of the complex molecular spectra. This includes a global gas dynamics simulation with chemistry, and a time-dependent fluorescence model with collisions and superposition of non-equilibrium states. This is an innovative and unique opportunity to advance our knowledge of parent molecules in comets (including water and simple hydrocarbons), and any compositional variations with depth, gaining clues to the origin of the solar system and possibly the origin of life on Earth. More specific objectives include updating the chemical database of photolytic and gas-phase reactions, and applying the enhanced computational model to the chemistry and composition of the comae of both comet Tempel 1 and comet Machholz.This study will yield basic chemical data with applications to many fields of science, as has been demonstrated in previous work. The model calculations can be used by observers to search for new species in comets and other astronomical objects. Dr Boice has close ties with the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) and San Antonio Community College. This research will inform and enhance his teaching, and provide training for a graduate student, in line with the UTSA goal of becoming a center of excellence in graduate education and research opportunities for Hispanics.